How to learn any language in six months | Chris Lonsdale | TEDxLingnanUniversity

Summary

The speaker explores the concept of accelerated learning, sharing his personal journey and insights from psychology to effectively learn a new language within six months. He emphasizes the importance of relevant content, using the language as a tool, comprehension, physiological training, and the right psychological state. By debunking common myths around talent and immersion, he outlines five principles and seven actions to achieve fluency, advocating for an active and engaged approach to language learning.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The central question addressed is 'How can you speed up learning?' which has been a long-standing curiosity for the speaker.
• 🎓 The speaker believes that if learning could be accelerated, it could potentially reduce the time spent in school and even make attending school unnecessary.
• 💡 Hypnopaedia, or sleep-learning, was an early interest of the speaker but was found to be ineffective, though it sparked further research into learning methods.
• 🌏 The speaker set a goal to become native level in Chinese within two years, applying psychological research to the learning process, and achieved fluency in six months.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning each other's languages in a global context, given the environmental, social, and political challenges we face.
• 🚀 The speaker draws parallels between language learning and other historical human achievements, such as running a mile in four minutes or flying cars, to show that expanding our limits is always possible.
• 🎨 The speaker shares a personal story of learning to draw in five days by applying key principles, illustrating that anyone can learn a new skill quickly with the right approach.
• 🌟 Five core principles for language learning are identified: attention, meaning, relevance, memory, and using the language as a tool from day one.
• 🛡️ Two myths are dispelled: the need for talent and the effectiveness of immersion as the sole method for language acquisition.
• 📚 The speaker proposes that any adult can learn a second language to fluency in six months by following the five principles and seven actions outlined in the talk.
• 🌟 The seven actions for language learning involve listening a lot, getting the meaning before words, mixing and creating sentences, focusing on core vocabulary, having a language parent, copying facial expressions, and making direct connections between known images and new words.

Q & A

What is the central question the speaker has been pondering for many years?

The central question the speaker has been pondering is 'How can you speed up learning?'

Why did the speaker write a letter to researchers in the Soviet Union at the age of 11?

The speaker wrote a letter to researchers in the Soviet Union at the age of 11 to inquire about hypnopaedia, which is sleep-learning, because he was curious about faster ways to learn.

What was the speaker's goal when he went to China in 1981?

The speaker's goal when he went to China in 1981 was to become native level in Chinese within two years, applying principles from psychological research to the learning process.

How long did it take the speaker to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese?

It took the speaker six months to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

What are the two myths about language learning that the speaker wants to dispel?

The two myths the speaker wants to dispel are that one needs talent to learn a language and that immersion in a new country is the way to learn a language effectively.

What are the five principles the speaker believes are essential for an adult to learn a second language?

The five principles are: attention, meaning, relevance, memory, and using the language as a tool to communicate from day one.

What does the speaker mean by 'comprehensible input'?

'Comprehensible input' refers to the process of acquiring a language unconsciously by first understanding the message and then learning the language, which is well-documented in language learning research.

How does the speaker describe the physiological aspect of language learning?

The speaker describes the physiological aspect of language learning as training the brain to hear and filter sounds of the new language and training the facial muscles to produce understandable sounds.

What are the seven actions the speaker suggests to learn a second language effectively?

The seven actions are: listening a lot (brain soaking), getting the meaning first, starting to mix (creating sentences), focusing on core words, having a language parent, copying the face (observing native speakers), and direct connect (associating new sounds with existing images and memories).

What is the significance of the 'language parent' in the learning process?

The 'language parent' provides a safe and supportive environment for the learner, offering comprehensible input, understanding the learner's attempts at communication, and using known words to facilitate learning.

How long does the speaker claim it can take for an adult to learn a second language to fluency?

The speaker claims that any adult can learn a second language to fluency within six months by following the five principles and seven actions.